


The Way Things Are

by Knoxs_9th



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Graduation, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24535498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knoxs_9th/pseuds/Knoxs_9th
Summary: A lot of things have changed since their graduation, but they’re fine with that.
Relationships: Hakaze Kaoru/Sakuma Rei
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	The Way Things Are

Change is inevitable sometimes, but not necessarily something bad.

There’s something strange about waking up to find he’s not alone on the bed. Not because the company is unwelcomed, no, far from it. It’s because he can’t really quite register the sight of Rei sleeping next to him peacefully as something real even after months of living together and sorting out their feelings. That is, until Kaoru brushes away the bangs on his forehead and plants a kiss on the now exposed skin, feeling the other person’s warmth at the brief touch that serves as proof that could blow away all of his doubts. This has become a new habit of his on mornings, and he very much enjoys it every time he rediscovers the fact that everything is in fact real.

“Rei-kun, wake up. We have a job early in the morning today.”

How his first name rolls off his tongue naturally now is also something he didn’t think was possible, but with Rei it’s always been a new adventure with each passing day, and the person in question stirs from his sleep with his eyes slowly opening at the mention of his name.

He too thinks everything is just a dream until he does his own ritual in the mornings.

Rei lets his hand wander around on the sheets until it finds Kaoru’s, fingers reaching for his wrist after to feel his pulse, and then back to his hand to intertwine their fingers and share the little warmth the gesture can offer.

He too enjoys it when a sense of comfort fills his heart at the realization that everything is in fact real.

“You’ll have to forgive this old man and his slow movements, Kaoru-kun. I’m not one to have a lot of energy to spare in the mornings,” Rei lets out a low chuckle that soon turns into a yawn.

-

Old habits die hard, and time alone isn’t necessarily enough to kill them.

Rei would grip the other person’s hand with force that could rival Adonis’ whenever Kaoru walked too fast, just like what’s happening right now. When he stops in his tracks and turns around, he sees a hint of fear on the other person’s face. That alone is enough for him to recall their days at school, how he had come and gone whenever and wherever he pleased, and imagining how Rei felt as he tried to chase someone like that makes something in him ache.

_You’re like a summer breeze, something that comes as fast as how it’s gone, ever the evanescent existence, and it feels like you might disappear anytime if I let you go._

He waits until Rei is comfortable enough to loosen his grip, and when he finally does, Kaoru uses that chance to slip his fingers between the other’s and intertwine them, to which Rei lets out a satisfied hum and forms a smile so bright it could rival the sun. Sometimes he thinks _he’s_ the vampire that would turn to ash at the sight of the sun that is a happy Rei and not the other way around, and they both continue their walk after he takes that mental note for himself.

Kaoru would guide the other person’s face to look at him with his fingers whenever Rei seemed out of it, just like when he forgets where he put the keys to their shared apartment. His face is firm, eyes boring into his for a few minutes, until he finally looks away to rummage through his own pockets and hands him his duplicate keys. Rei looks at the item on his hand with more awe than anyone should spare for something so normal.

_You’re someone I thought I couldn’t reach, where you stood at the end of a long flight of stairs while doubts consumed me just from looking at the first few steps, but I got rid of them to be your equal and stand next to you, so look at me, you’re not alone anymore._

He turns the key with a resounding click and opens the door, but before Kaoru could let himself in, Rei cups his face with his hands and stares into his eyes again. How he wished he had spared more time to look at them, because no matter how many times he has seen them, he knows he’s going to get lost in Kaoru’s eyes without fail. The next thing he finds himself doing is to let their lips meet, the gesture chaste, and only lasting for a few seconds before they pull away. Rei is definitely looking when Kaoru’s face slowly turns a shade of red, eyes no longer staring at him but at something invisible somewhere.

“...Over some keys? Really?”

“That’s just how glad I am to have you by my side,” Rei chuckles.

A smile blooms on the other person’s face as the words sink in, and he plants a kiss on Rei’s forehead in return before finally urging that they come inside after leaving the door open for too long.

-

Nights are better spent with someone dear, even if a pile of work has to accompany you too.

Rei groans after looking through the last job proposal the agency gave them from his share of stack, a headache slowly making its way and making him question if he could read anything again with joy after all of this is over. Kaoru comes back from the kitchen with a can of tomato juice and energy drink in his hand, tossing the earlier can to Rei when it could’ve hit him in the face had he missed just a second to act. He puts the cold can on his forehead, sighing in relief as the cold is nice against his heating up head, and Kaoru laughs at the scene.

“You can go to bed first, y’know? I can take over.”

“It’s too early for me to sleep, and there’s still a lot of work left that I can’t possibly shove them all to you.”

“Hm, I don’t think so? I’m almost done with picking my share of jobs and all that’s left is to come up with a schedule to fit them all.”

“The schedule is the hard part,” Rei sighs just at the mere thought of it.

“Not really. It’s not that bad.”

“Kaoru-kun is very reliable, isn’t he? What can this old man possibly do in the face of ‘idol schedule-planning’ without him?”

“I think it’s good to have you do them too to prevent dementia,” Kaoru chuckles, “What do you think?”

“I’d like to think I’m not old enough to care about that yet,” Rei pouts, “Regardless, it’s bad manners to bully the elderly.”

“Is that so? I guess asking for help from someone so feeble is rude too.”

“Perhaps I’m not as feeble as you think,” Rei immediately moves the can away from his forehead, opening it as he looks at Kaoru with anticipation, “What do you need?”

“So much for being a grandpa, Rei-kun,” Kaoru sighs, “I’m not asking for much, really. Just go sit behind me.”

Rei lifts an eyebrow at the strange request but does as he’s told anyway, putting the can of tomato juice on the floor far enough from the two that no sudden movement can make it spill, “And? What next?”

“Hold on.”

Kaoru drops the papers that were in his hands then turns his head to look at the person behind him, his hand taking the other’s arm one by one then hooking them near his waist afterwards, and he gently pulls the other’s head to rest on top of his shoulder to top it all off.

“...Kaoru-kun, if you wanted a hug you could’ve just said so.”

“It seemed really weird to ask after the ‘old man’ talk,” Kaoru sighs again, “And that’s clearly your fault.”

“Oh? Then should I have said something like _Yo, Hakaze-kun, I’ll give ya the best hug you’ve ever had you’d be beggin’ for more~_?”

“Oh god, hold on, I think my brain just short circuited,” he massages his head, “...What the fuck?”

Rei’s laugh fills the room and most certainly _his ears_ that his head is resting on his shoulder, but Kaoru can’t seem to be angry at him for enjoying himself so much, “Which one do you prefer, Kaoru-kun? I’ll make a special exception just for you.”

“Nah, I’ll pass,” Kaoru says, “Do what you want, you’re human.”

He’s doubted his humanity even less these days with Kaoru being around, but whenever words like that actually do come out of someone’s mouth and are directed towards him, there’s a very special and rare feeling of warmth that’s enough to make Rei feel like he’s on cloud nine. What did he actually do to deserve someone like Kaoru in his life? He’s not sure he’ll ever find that out, but it doesn’t stop him from being grateful for every second he spends with his partner both on stage and in life.

“Kaoru-kun,” Rei says as he tightens the hug and buries his head into the crook of the other person’s neck, “Thank you for living beside me for who I am, a human.”

Kaoru hums with a smile on his face as he buries his hand in dark hair and makes a little mess out of it, endearment seeping from his every action.

The night may still be long with work waiting to be done, but the two don't seem to mind as long as they‘re with each other. If the time they spend together continues until the next day, the next week, the next year, the next decade, then they couldn’t be happier.

With the other by their side, there’s always something to look forward to after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Head full but only reikao thoughts...
> 
> Thank you for reading!!!


End file.
